Enchantment
by furubafan74
Summary: Zukaang, AU.  When Zuko, an isolated teen, meets Aang, a Wizard Apprentice, will he prepared for everything that happens next?   There will be boy/boy kissing, and gay sex.  Don't like/Don't read, no ship/gay bashing please
1. Once Upon A Time

A/N: Aang is not a 'Harry Potter' type wizard. He's more a cross between a Fairy Godmother from Mercedes Lackey's A Tale of 500 Kingdoms series and a Spook from Joseph Delaney's The Last Apprentice series. (Those are both excellent series and authors, by the way. I strongly recommend both of them if you like fantasy stuff.) I'll explain what that means in a later chapter, I just wanted to make sure there were no misconceptions right from the beginning.

"Speaking" 'Thinking' :Telepathic Communication:

Zuko lay in his room, curled up in the fetal position. His father had finally left, after three hellish hours of repeatedly raping him. Since his uncle had been hospitalized a week earlier, the beatings had become steadily more violent, culminating in his violation. He had to get away from his father. The doctors had said it would be at least another week before Iroh was ready to be released. Zuko _had_ to get away before then. He didn't care where he had to go, or what he had to do. He just had to escape from here, before his father killed him.

He sent up a silent prayer to any deities who might be listening. 'I'll go anywhere, I'll do anything. Just please, get me far away from here.' Zuko had no idea, had no way of knowing, that something was listening, and that that something took his silent promise seriously. He lay awake for hours, until he was absolutely certain his father was deeply asleep before slipping out of his bed and packing a bag with a few changes of clothes and padding downstairs. He added non-perishable food (mostly granola bars) and bottled water and sat down at the table to wait for it to be light enough out that he could slip away without tripping and falling on his face. He had no plan, no idea where he was going to go, beyond getting out of this house of horrors. He was fine with that. He could come with a plan when he was out of here.

When dawn finally arrived, he turned off the security system and headed towards the woods, planning on hiding there for a few hours, until he came up with a better plan. His father wouldn't be happy that Zuko had left, and would probably start searching almost immediately. Zuko hoped he wouldn't start in the woods. The bag hurt his bruises, so he carried in his left hand. He had been walking for about an hour when a girl greeted him.

"Hello!" Zuko looked up, startled, then stared in shock when he saw…a unicorn. She was one of the most beautiful creatures Zuko had ever seen in his life. Her eyes were large and silvery, as were her delicate cloven hooves. The horn spiraling from her forehead was as long as Zuko's arm, and shone like polished mother-of-pearl. Her coat looked as soft as velvet, and was the color of moonlight on fresh snow. Her eyes shone with adoration as she walked trustingly up to him. "I love you," she said, nudging her nose into his hand. Zuko bit his lip. His uncle was the only person who had ever told them, besides his mother, and _she_'d been dead for years. "My name's Lunaria. What's yours?"

Zuko gently stroked his hand down her neck as he answered. "Z-Zuko." The Old Ways had sent Lunaria to collect a human boy named 'Zuko' and take him to the Wizard's castle nearby. The fact that he was a virgin was an added bonus for Lunaria. (A/N: Lunaria [and all other female unicorns] consider Zuko a virgin since it was rape, not consensual.)

"Follow me." Zuko had no other plan, so why _not_ follow the unicorn? It would be better than wandering aimlessly until he did have a plan. He laced his fingers through her mane as they walked. They had been walking for about a mile when they reached a clearing, with a large house in it. There was a garden with a teenager kneeling in it, scowling at what looked like pea plants.

Aang, kneeling in the garden behind his master's castle, sighed. "Flimflamming unicorns," he muttered. "Why can't they get it through their skulls that _their_ peas are over there?" Sage sighed, and seemed about to answer when Lunaria entered the clearing.

"Ooh, peas!" Lunaria forced her attention away from the peas, and focused on the matter at hand. Delivering Zuko to Aang. "Aang! I brought you someone! He needs help. Will you help him?" Zuko glanced at her in surprise. How did she know that? Aang stood up, brushing dirt from the knees of his robe as he did so. The teen with her was a little shorter than Aang's 6'2, maybe 5'10, with a slender build. His black hair was long and shaggy, the longest bits brushing his shoulders. (A/N: It looks like his S3 hair, only a little longer.) It hung in large golden eyes, completely hiding the left one. There were dark bags under his eyes, and a wary, almost suspicious look in his eyes. His long fingers were tangled in Lunaria's mane as if it was his only lifeline. His mouth looked soft and perfectly formed, and his skin was porcelain pale. He was the most beautiful person Aang had ever seen, and he had spent considerable time at the Fae Courts over the course of his Apprenticeship.

Zuko studied the teen in the garden intently as he walked over to them. He was tall and lithe, with warm grey eyes that studied Zuko as intently as Zuko studied him. He had a blue arrow tattooed on his forehead, centered just above his eyes, disappearing into messy dark brown hair. It looked soft, and Zuko had a sudden urge to run his fingers through it. The other teen's voice was deep and smooth, unlike Zuko's own slightly raspy voice. Zuko thought he was absolutely gorgeous. Why couldn't he have met someone like him _before_ his father had raped him?

"Of course I'll help him, Lunaria." Zuko noticed that he had blue arrows on his hands as well when he extended his hand to Zuko. "My name's Aang Watanabe. What's yours?" Aang smiled warmly at Zuko as he held out his hand. Zuko's hand shook slightly as he took Aang's hand.

"Zuko Ohasi." Aang thought Zuko's voice was just as beautiful as the rest of him. A surge of possessiveness swept through him as soon as their hands touched, catching him completely off guard. Zuko must have felt something, too, because he blushed slightly and stepped back a half step, having never released his hold on Lunaria's mane.

"Um, er, are you hungry? Clematis should have breakfast ready soon if you are. Hungry, I mean." Sage tried unsuccessfully to turn a laugh into a cough, making him blush. 'What is _wrong_ with me today? I usually don't get tongue-tied around pretty faces,' he thought. Zuko smiled slightly at his awkwardness and blush. It should, in Aang's opinion, be illegal for someone to be that attractive. It was unfair for anyone who had to talk to them.

"Yeah, um, breakfast sounds good." Zuko was starving. He hadn't eaten breakfast before sneaking out, and he hadn't stopped to eat any of the food he'd brought with him. Aang noticed that Lunaria about to take a bite out the peas.

"Lunaria, _your _peas are _over there."_ Aang said, then smiled crookedly at Zuko, and led him into the kitchen. "Clematis? We have a guest for breakfast." Zuko was surprised to notice how small the women who'd been in the garden with Aang was, maybe 3' tall. The woman who came out of the kitchen wearing an apron was a little taller, maybe 3'2. They looked a lot alike, too. Both had white hair, Clematis wore her hair in a bun, while the one from the garden wore hers in a long braid. They both had the same wrinkly nut-brown skin, and bright blue eyes. Clematis scowled at Zuko, then turned to Aang.

"He's a _mortal_, Aang. You know mortals aren't allowed past the front foyer."

"Mortals have been past the foyer before." Aang was frowning. "Lunaria brought him, says he needs help. I figured since it was almost time for breakfast anyway, we might as well feed him first." The shorter woman smiled at Zuko.

"Aang's a sweetheart, dear; he's just a bit scatterbrained sometimes and forgets his manners. My name is Sage, and the grumpy woman over there is my sister, Clematis. Now, while you're washing your hands, how about you tell me your name again. My old ears just aren't what they used to be." Zuko smiled at her, noticing out of the corner of his eye that Aang looked a little sheepish.

"Zuko Ohasi, ma'am." Sage had heard his name perfectly the first time, she just thought he had a nice voice and wanted to hear it again. It was also a good opportunity to subtly remind Aang that he was being rude by ignoring his guest, and not introducing him to her and her sister.

"Well Zuko, I'm sure whatever your problem is, Aang will be able to help you." She gestured to a chair. "Now sit down and make yourself comfortable. Clematis, stop complaining. He's here now, and it would be just rude to send him out to the foyer while Aang eats breakfast. Besides, he looks like he could use a good meal."

"He certainly could. Oh, fine. He can stay."

"Why is your sister so upset?"

"She's naturally cranky, dear, and at her age she's completely set in her ways. Usually when a mortal needs help from either Aang or Roku, they stay in the foyer. Aang or Roku interview them to find out what they need, and help them either there or at their home. They rarely even _see_ past the foyer. You're a special case, Zuko." They kept saying 'mortal'. What did they mean by _that_?

Aang could barely take his eyes off Zuko as they ate, even though he knew it was rude. He just couldn't help himself. It was hard for him to think clearly around him, to think about anything _besides_ him, too. Zuko's features were masculine, as was his body language, but there was something…feminine about him. An air of vulnerability, of _neediness_ almost, that reminded Zuko of a Distressed Damsel, a lovely, innocent young lady who were usually rescued by either Knight Errants or Warriors, often with a Wizard or other magic user's help. Aang had an unusual-well, unusual for _him_, anyway-urge to be the one who rescued Zuko. To be his savior, his hero. To be the one Zuko fell in love with, the way Distressed Damsels _always_ fell in love with their rescuers. The Old Ways made sure of that. Feeling protective was nothing new for Aang, but this possessiveness certainly was.

Sage caught Aang staring at their guest _again_ and kicked him hard in the shin to remind him of his manners. "So, Zuko," she said, "what's wrong with your back?" She'd noticed that when Zuko first sat down how careful he was to not touch the back of the chair with his back. He didn't seem to very comfortable sitting down at all, really.

"Oh, um, just some bruises." Sage and Clematis glanced with concern at Aang.

"Ah. Well, our Aang is a master of Healing Magic, he'll soon have them all healed. :Aang? Your aura just flashed red with anger when Zuko said 'bruises'. Why?: Aang smiled briefly at her.

:If he has enough bruises and they're painful enough that he won't lean back in a chair, then someone most likely beat him. I don't know why that thought makes me as angry as it does.: Abuse had always angered him, but never as much as the thought of _Zuko_ being abused did. If Sage had noticed his aura flash red, than Clematis certainly had. She was better at seeing auras then her sister. Wonderful. Now they both knew that Aang couldn't control his emotions around Zuko.

Zuko noticed Sage and Clematis glance at Aang when he answered Sage's question, and was immediately curious. He was about to ask when Sage said 'Healing Magic'. Magic? First it was all that fuss about 'mortals' and now 'magic'? Zuko abruptly realized what he'd done. He'd wandered, willingly, into a complete stranger's home. He was eating food that he had no idea what was in it. There could be poison. Or Rohypnol. Or god-only-knew what else. And why had he done this? Because there was a teenager in the yard. A hot teenager who was about his own age, who had a warm smile, and kind eyes. Wasn't Ted Bundy said to have been charming? For all Zuko knew, Aang was a serial killer. Or a cannibal. Or a rapist. Or just plain _insane_. He opened his mouth to thank them for the meal and the hospitality, but that he really had to be going now, but yawned deeply instead. Once he did, he realized just how tired he really was, and yawned again. He'd been running on adrenaline, but that was gone now.

Aang noticed Zuko yawning and decided it was time to get him upstairs so he could rest. "Clematis, may we be excused?" :Zuko looks about ready to fall out of his chair.:

"About time you remember your manners, Aang." :You've been staring shamelessly at him since we sat down.: Aang flushed slightly. "The second bedroom on the left on the second floor is made up. He can use that one. I'll make up another one later for Arthur to use when he gets here." Aang stood up and walked around the table to where Zuko was sitting. Reading thoughts had never been one of his strengths-he considered it an invasion of privacy-so he generally needed to be in contact with someone to get anything but faint impressions. He was curious about Zuko's past, and instinct told him that if he _asked_, Zuko would clam up and refuse to answer. Normally, Aang would let it go. But in this case, curiosity was overriding everything else. He held out his hand to help Zuko out of his chair.

"Thank you, Clematis. C'mon Zuko, let's get these bruises tended to so you can get some much needed rest." As soon as Zuko's hand touched his, Aang's head was filled with memories. (A/N: Fair warning: Zuko's memories are disturbing at best. Feel free to skip them if you want, just restart reading when the italics stop.) _A young boy, clutching his broken arm and watching, frightened, as his father beats his mother. Tears stream down his cheeks, but not from the pain in his arm. The tears are because he's helpless to protect his beloved mother. …A slightly older boy, this time with two broken arms and a broken leg, watches his father grab a can of lighter fluid and a lighter and head towards him, his clothes and face still spattered with his dead wife's blood. …The same boy, now a teenager, pretending to be asleep in the hopes of avoiding another beating. His father enters the room and forces himself on him. Blinding agony tears the teen as he begs his father to stop. 'What's the matter, you stupid faggot? Don't you want a cock up your worthless ass?'_ Aang broke the connection, regretting having let curiosity win out, and almost dropped Zuko's hand in horror over what he'd suffered. He'd suspected abuse, but he'd no idea it was _that_ bad. His urge to protect Zuko, to shelter him from harm, went rocketing through the roof. He didn't pity Zuko, though, far from it. He _admired_ Zuko for being strong enough to survive. For escaping. If Zuko noticed anything, he gave no sign, only yawned again.

"Did you put something in the food to make me sleepy?" he asked as they headed up the stairs. Aang glanced at him.

"No. Sleep is one of Nature's best healing techniques. Your body recognizes that it's injured, and wants you to go to sleep so it can heal." Zuko nodded. That made sense. The fact he hadn't slept at all the night before certainly wasn't helping matters any.

The house was bigger than it looked from the outside-far bigger. Aang led him to a large room, decorated in red and gold. The room had large south facing windows, with dark red curtains. The carpet was thick and soft looking, a pale gold color. There was a pair of comfortable looking chairs in front of a fireplace, and a large four-poster bed with red bed curtains. Zuko had seen such a luxurious looking room. Aang walked across to the bed and whisked back the bed curtains, then turned back to Zuko.

"The door on the left leads to the bathroom, and the one on the right leads to the dressing room. I have to go get my healing kit so I can tend to your bruises, so take off your shirt and make yourself comfortable. I'll be right back." Zuko did as Aang had asked, his earlier doubts coming back to pester him. Aang kept all his healing supplies in a large basket, so it only took a moment to grab it and some pajamas for Zuko and head back. Zuko was perched nervously on the side of the bed, hugging himself when Aang returned. Aang sucked in a harsh breath when he saw the scars crisscrossing Aang's torso. Even without having seen Zuko's memories, those would have been proof of abuse.

Zuko looked up when he heard and saw him staring at his scars. At least he couldn't see the one over his left eye. That he could see this many was bad enough. He shifted his arms slightly to cover as many scars as possible as he glared defiantly at Aang. "I don't want pity, yours or anyone else's." Aang met his gaze steadily.

"Good. Because you certainly don't have mine." Zuko blinked in surprise at his words. Most people, besides his uncle, pitied him when they saw his scars. "Now, the sooner I get those bruises healed, the sooner you can get some sleep." Aang set the basket down beside Zuko and knelt on the bed behind him. His back looked like one big bruise. Aang bit his lower lip, studying him. There were scars on his back, too, partially covered by the bruises. "No wonder you wouldn't lean back in the chair." Zuko smiled faintly. He placed both hands lightly on Zuko's shoulders, feeling the other teen flinch slightly at his touch. How long had it been since someone touched Zuko out of _anything_ besides anger? He slid his hands slowly down Zuko's back, using his magic to see just how bad the bruises were. "There are…layers of bruises. A few ribs are cracked, although none of them are broken."

"The layers of bruises make sense. The beatings were growing worse every night for the last week. I didn't realize about the ribs, though."

"You have a safe place to go, right? Because there is no way I'm letting you go back to whoever gave you these bruises." Aang knew from Zuko's memories that they were from his father, but he couldn't reveal that. Which was another reason why he usually didn't read minds. He picked up the jar of numbweed ointment. Healing magic sped up the natural healing process so it could be almost as painful as the wound itself. That was why Aang always used numbweed ointment.

"My uncle's house. I can go there once he's released from the hospital. What would you have done if I didn't have somewhere to go?"

"Keep you here. Your uncle will protect you?" Zuko nodded.

"Yeah. He's been in the hospital for about a week now. What is that stuff? It smells." Aang smiled.

"Numbweed ointment. It's made from a plant called numbweed, and it does exactly what the name implies. It makes whatever it's applied to go temporarily numb. It was brought here centuries ago by Wizards from a planet called Pern, and it only grows in Wizard gardens." (A/N: Pern and numbweed belong to Anne McCaffrey. Another excellent author.) Aang began rubbing the ointment into Zuko's bruises, making sure he was gentle. Zuko relaxed slightly as Aang massaged the ointment into his back. The other teens hands were warm and gentle, and they felt good, even though everywhere he touched quickly went numb. Aang murmured something under his breath. Hands surrounded by pearly white healing light, Aang slid his hands slowly down Zuko's back again, watching at the bruises faded before his eyes. The ribs took a bit longer, but soon Zuko's back was completely healed.

"Alright, Zuko. Your back's healed. Do you have any other bruises you need tended?" Zuko hesitated a long moment before answering.

"Yeah. On my thighs."

"OK. You'll have to remove your pants though."

Zuko flushed red as he slid his pants down. He'd never undressed like this in front of someone else. Aang kept his eyes on Zuko's thighs, respecting his privacy. He could just barely see the bruises under the hem of Zuko's boxers. They were closer to the backs of Zuko's thighs. He swallowed hard, remembering what he'd seen in Zuko's head. Apparently, that last memory had been more recent than Aang had thought. It would be easier to access the bruises from behind, so Aang slid off the bed and knelt behind Zuko. He slid the left leg of Zuko's boxers up just enough so he could see the entire bruise, feeling Zuko shiver slightly as he did so. This obviously wasn't very comfortable for him. "These bruises aren't that big, or deep, so I'll have them healed in no time, okay?" Aang quickly, but gently, massaged the numbweed into Zuko's leg, then healed the bruise. The entire process took less than a minute, and Aang was soon done with both legs. "Any other injuries?" The silence was even longer this time. Eventually, Zuko gave a tiny nod.

"Y-yeah." He forced the single word out of a tight throat. All of the emotions he'd been bottling up since the night before were swirling near the surface, threatening to escape. Aang watched as Zuko's aura swirled with emotion. Anger, sorrow, pain, self-hatred, depression, shame, humiliation, and rage swirled the other teen's aura. After a minute, the colors settled into a dingy gray. Zuko was sealing up his emotions, pushing them in a corner rather than deal with them. He waited a moment longer for Zuko to say _where_ he was injured, although Aang definitely had his suspicions.

"Zuko? I need to know where you're injured so I can heal you." Zuko shook his head mutely. Aang stood up placed his hand on Zuko's shoulder. "You don't have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable. If you don't heal on your own, then I can tend to it later, okay?" Zuko turned and leaned against his chest. Why did Aang have to be so kind? Why couldn't he be a jerk and _insist_ that Zuko tell him? Aang put his arms around Zuko gently, and Zuko's walls crumbled.

"My dad…raped me last night. I…it really hurts. Down there." Aang held Zuko close as he sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling Zuko onto his lap.

"Oh, Zuko. I'll never let him hurt you again, I promise." Zuko buried his face in Aang's shoulder and started to cry, horrible gut wrenching sobs. Aang felt like Zuko was jerking his soul out with every sob. He stroked Zuko's hair as his shoulder's shook, making soothing noises and noting absently that it was just as silky as it looked. Aang had comforted children who'd seen their parents killed by a Render Boggart, or eaten by Dark Dragons. He'd comforted people who'd almost been killed by Trolls, Water Witches, or Weres. He'd dealt with hysterical widows, calming them down enough that he could find out what, precisely, killed their husbands beyond 'big with lots of claws and teeth'. So why couldn't he find the words to help a teenager who'd been hurt by a human being? Aang didn't realize that he was doing just that by holding Zuko close and stroking his hair. Zuko remained leaning against him, fist clenched in his robe after the tears had finally stopped.

"I'm sorry. I usually don't cry in front of other people like this." 'Especially not when I'm mostly naked,' he thought. Aang tenderly wiped at the tears on Zuko's cheeks with his sleeve.

"It's all right, Zuko." They remained silent until Zuko yawned hugely. "Do you want me to heal you now, or to you want to sleep?"

"Heal." Aang nodded and gently set him back on his feet. Unlike the bruises, he shouldn't have to actually see the wounds. Hopefully, anyway. He doubted Zuko could handle being completely naked in front of someone else, much less being touched there. He wouldn't be able to use numbweed, though.

"This will hurt since I'm not using numbweed this time, Zuko," he warned. "Lii Appillic Ank," he murmured. He hovered his hands over Zuko's rear, gently directing the Magic to the tears and abrasions inside Zuko's anus. Zuko only cried out once, when Aang was almost finished, although the entire process had to have been excruciating, since Healing Magic caused the target to feel every drop of pain involved with the natural healing process in one concentrated dose, as opposed to over a longer period time. "All right, you're all healed. I brought you some pajamas. They might be a little big on you, but they should be more comfortable than sleeping in your clothes."

"Thanks." His back was starting to tingle as the numbweed wore off, although other than that, he was completely without pain for the first time in days. It was a wonderful feeling. "Which door's the dressing room?"

"The one on the left." As Zuko disappeared through it, Aang gathered up his healing supplies and the clothes Zuko had taken off. Clematis would wash the clothes while Zuko slept. Aang pulled the covers back on the bed, then waited patiently for Zuko to finish changing into the pajamas. Zuko came out a moment later.

"Thank you." Aang smiled at him, tracing a rune on Zuko's forehead to ensure that any dreams were pleasant ones. "What's that?"

"A rune to keep nightmares at bay. It will last as long as you sleep." Zuko nodded as he climbed into the bed. Aang made sure he was comfortable, then drew the bed curtains closed and slipped out of the room. He stopped just outside the door and looked down at a beautiful calico cat. "Will you watch over him, Mariposa? And tell me when he's waking up?"

"Certainly, Aang," she mewed. "I'd be happy too." She slipped into the room and jumped up onto the bed. Poor little kit. Someone had been awful mean to him. She patted his cheek gently with a forepaw. "I'll protect you, little kit. Don't worry." She settled down next to his head and began to purr.

Aang headed downstairs to where both Clematis and Sage were waiting expectantly for him.

"Awful lot of bruises, Aang?" Clematis asked. "You were up there up there a very long time." Neither Brownie failed to notice the large damp spot on his robe from Zuko's tears.

"Yeah."

"How's he doing?" Sage asked.

"He's sound asleep now. Mariposa's watching over him. I'll take up some broth around lunch time." The Brownie women nodded approvingly. Mariposa was one of the main queens, and she had a reputation for being quite protective of her kits, and for considering that looked even vaguely in trouble as one of her kits.

"Will he be awake?"

"I doubt it."

"You'd better finish your breakfast, then, now that's Zuko's settled." :You did notice The Old Ways gathering around those two and linking them together, right, Clematis? My old eyes aren't just deceiving me?:

:Not unless mine are pulling the same trick. They'll be good for each other.:

A/N: Zuko will be getting therapy later in the fic, don't worry.


	2. Meeting the Future InLaws

"Meeting the Future In-Laws"

"Talking" 'Thinking' :Telepathic Communication:

Mariposa licked her forepaw, keeping one eye on the sleeping kit. Aang had asked her to keep an eye on him, and she had. The only times she had left his side for the last two days were to use the dirt-box and eat, and she had had Aang bring a dirt-box, food, and water into the room so she didn't have to stray far. The kit seemed to be waking, so she slipped off the bed and padded off the find Aang. She found him downstairs and pawed at his leg to get his attention.

"Aang?" she mewed. "He's starting to wake up."

"All right. I'll be up the first chance I get." His sister, Ty Lee, and her master, Arthur would be arriving soon. Since Roku's Wizard duty was taking longer than expected, it was up to Aang to make sure everything was ready and to greet their guests. Unfortunately, this didn't leave him much time to spare, just enough to feed Zuko-and Mariposa, of course- and to have placed a Protection Ward onto Zuko. Mariposa nodded at his words and bounded back upstairs.

Zuko woke slowly to the sound of loud purring. He sat up and stretched lazily. It was dim, but he could see the vague outline of a cat on the pillow. When had his uncle gotten a cat? The last tendril of sleep-fog cleared and he remembered he wasn't at his uncle's house; he was at Aang's. He blushed, remembering how he had sat on Aang's lap and cried. The cat padded close, still purring, and began nuzzling his arm, rubbing her head against him. Zuko hesitantly picked her up and placed her on his lap. When she settled, tucking her paws under her, he reached for the bed curtain and pulled it open, flooding the area with light. How long had he been asleep?

He slid out of bed, careful not to drop the cat onto the floor, and looked around. He noticed his bag on one of the chairs, with the clothes he'd been wearing neatly folded beneath it. He'd left the bag in the garden when he came into the house. Aang or one of the women must have brought it up. He crossed the room and opened it, noticing that most of his granola bars had been replaced with individually sealed bags of sandwiches, baked goods, fruits, and vegetables. There was also a note. _Zuko, these will stay fresh and safe to eat as long as the bags and seals are intact. What were you going to do, survive on granola bars? Next time you decide to run away, (hopefully not from here!) make sure you take these with you. Clematis baked them just for you. She says the granola bars have too much sugar and preservatives to be fit for human consumption. I wouldn't let her throw them ALL away, though. -Aang._ Zuko smiled at the note, and then looked down at the cat at his feet.

"Isn't that sweet of them? Giving me food for if I decide to run away again." Mariposa stopped purring and stared at the kit worriedly. He wasn't planning on running away from Aang, was he? "I doubt I'll need it though, unless my dad finds a way to force me back to his house again." She relaxed and started purring again. Zuko bent and rubbed behind her ears briefly. She was a beautiful cat, with bright blue eyes, sleek cream with orange and brown blotched fur, and a long, smooth tail. He loved cats. Unlike dogs, cats wouldn't love you forever just because you fed them. Cats were independent, aloof. If a cat loved you, it meant you'd earned that love. Zuko liked that. He pulled on a long-sleeved black shirt and jeans from the bag and headed downstairs, Mariposa following him.

Ty Lee arrived a few minutes before her master and guardian, Arthur Vaudeville. Her older brother was waiting in the lobby, and she threw herself into Aang's arms and gave him a huge hug. With Aang nearing the end of his Apprenticeship, the siblings didn't get to see each other as much as they'd like.

Zuko stopped dead on the stairs, jealousy squeezing his stomach as he watched a girl in pink fling herself into Aang's welcoming arms. When she pulled back, Zuko recognized her as Ty Lee, one of his sister's friends. He'd had a crush on her when he was younger, finding her exotic with her Italian accent and her knowledge of foreign language. Then she and Azula had had a falling out a few years ago, and he'd briefly had a crush on his sister's other friend, Mai. He hadn't seen Ty Lee since her fight with Azula, though. Aang knew her, apparently. Mariposa looked up at the kit, recognizing from the way his scent changed slightly that he was jealous. Silly kit. Ty Lee was Aang's littermate. He certainly wasn't interested in _her._ She mewed loudly to draw Aang's attention.

Aang and Ty Lee both looked up at Mariposa's mew and saw Zuko standing on the stairs. She didn't recognize him. Aang felt a slight tinge of guilt that he hadn't managed to find time to go see Zuko again before he woke up. :Ooh, he's jealous, Aangy. He must really like you.: Ty Lee could see auras without even trying. Unlike most magic users, she had to try _not_ to see them. There were few better at reading auras than her, either. If she said Zuko was jealous, then Zuko was jealous. Aang wasn't convinced that Zuko was jealous because he liked _him_, though.

"Zuko, this is my little sister, Ty Lee. Ty Lee, this is Zuko Ohasi." Zuko slowly came down the rest of the stairs, a little embarrassed at his reaction now. Aang wasn't certain how much to tell Ty Lee about Zuko and why he was there. Zuko's problems were private. "He ran away from home, and he's staying here for a few days." There. That didn't give too much away. Ty Lee tipped her head to one side.

"You live near New York City, right? Azula's older brother?" :His sister's a Dark Witch, Aang. Are you sure it's a good idea for him to be here?:

:He's not Dark, Ty Lee. And he doesn't _have_ anywhere else to go, not until his uncle gets out of the hospital.: At least Aang knew where Zuko lived now. He didn't know any therapists there, but he _did_ know a sorcerer who lived there, Hakoda. He should be able to recommend someone.

:His sister's Dark. His father, while mortal, is Dark. Do you really think Zuko is the only person in that family to not be Dark? Look at his aura, Aang! It's full of rage, jealousy, and hatred.:

:I'm not really surprised, considering what's his father's done to him. Besides, haven't you ever heard of Light Weres? They're born into Dark, surrounded by it, but they still choose Light. We'll talk about this later, Ty Lee. Right now, we're being rude, and Clematis and Sage have been harping on me enough about manners as it is.:

"Yeah, Azula's my little sister." Zuko had that feeling again, like there was a conversation going on he couldn't hear. He'd gotten the same impression during breakfast. Zuko stood awkwardly until Aang held out his hand, smiling at him.

"It's almost lunch time. After we eat, I'll take you to town and you can call your uncle. I'm sure he's worried about you."

"How long have I been asleep?" Zuko took Aang's offered hand, ignoring Ty Lee's slight frown. He **liked** holding Aang's hand.

"A little over two days." Two days? How could he have been asleep that long? Aang led him and Ty Lee into the kitchen. "You remember Sage and Clematis, right?" Zuko nodded and Aang indicated a small man, about Clematis's height. "This is Thorn, Sage's husband. Thorn, this is Zuko Ohasi." Thorn smiled at him, brown eyes crinkling.

"It's nice to meet you, Zuko." They shook hands.

"It's nice to meet you, too, sir."

Ty Lee studied her brother closely. She could tell he was obviously smitten with Zuko Ohasi, and she was worried about him. Aang had mentioned in passing that Ozai had done something to Zuko to make him the way he was. Cold. Full of hatred. Angry. Uncaring. The Old Ways were trying to draw them together, to bind them. She couldn't see someone as open, loving, and compassionate as her brother with Zuko. Even when they were kids, Zuko had been cold and distant.

:You were fine with him until you found out who he was. You're being unfair, little sister.: Aang's voice was gentle. :You see the shell Zuko's built around himself, not the injured, lonely, traumatized boy underneath.: Aang didn't break off his conversation with Zuko once as he chided her.

:What happened to him?: Aang's sigh echoed inside her head.

:He confided a little of that in me, sis. I won't break his confidence. But the little I saw in his mind, and what he told me adds up to one of the most horrifying cases of abuse I've ever seen.: He glanced at her briefly, his eyes barely flickering from Zuko. :What I saw probably only scratched the surface, if the scars are anything to go by.: Aang covered Zuko's hand with his, making Zuko blush slightly. Zuko was certain that Aang was just being nice; that there was no way this gorgeous boy was actually interested in _him_. He'd seen most of Zuko's scars. He knew what his own father had done to him. The only scar Aang hadn't seen was the huge one on the left side of his face. Even if Aang _was_ interested, Zuko was in no mental state for a romantic relationship at the moment.

Aang gave him a tour of the house after lunch. Zuko was especially enamored with the gardens and the library. It was threatening rain, so Zuko decided to spend his afternoon in the library, reading while Aang tended to Wizard stuff. Maybe he'd get some ideas for his art. Aang had asked him not to read the books on a specific shelf, so Zuko avoided those ones. He was engrossed in a book about different types of Fae when Ty Lee came in and sat down in the chair across from him.

"Hey, Zuko!" she chirped. Zuko looked at her, suspicious. He'd gotten the impression that she didn't like him very much, and that she certainly didn't approve of him being friendly with her brother.

"Hi." Zuko stared at her for a moment. "Was there something in particular you wanted?"

"Your sister's a Dark witch. Your father has one of the Darkest souls I've ever seen in a mortal. You've lived in that house for sixteen years and you expect me to believe you're not Dark, too?" She glared at him. "_Aang_ might be fooled by your pretty face and whatever sob story you-" Zuko's temper snapped.

"My father _raping_ me repeatedly for three fucking _hours_ is not some fucking sob story I made up, you pampered little-" Aang interrupted his words.

"Ty Lee! I said we'd talk about this _later_." She started guiltily at Aang's sharp words. Aang quickly crossed the room to Zuko. "Zuko? She didn't upset you too much, did she?" The concern in Aang's voice made Zuko flush bright red.

"I'm fine," he mumbled. Aang was treating him like some delicate little flower. Ty Lee glared at both of them before storming out. Aang watched her go, and then sat down heavily in the chair she had just deserted.

"Gods, I handed that one badly, didn't I?" He studied Zuko for a long moment. "What history do you two have together anyway? She was perfectly fine with you until she found out who you were."

"She was one of my sister's friends. They had a falling out years ago, but I'm not sure over what." Aang nodded. _He_ knew what- Azula had chosen Dark. "She said my sister was a 'Dark Witch' and you and the women keep referring to me as 'mortal.' What does that mean? Witches aren't real, right? I mean, there are Wiccans, but that's a religion." Aang smiled. Most-almost all, really, mortals who came into contact with The Old Ways forgot everything within days, so there was no harm in telling Zuko. He'd just forget, anyway. Of course, he'd also forget Aang. His heart sank slightly at the thought.

"Witches are real, Zuko. Lots of things mortals think are just myths, legends, fairy tales, or fantasy are real. Take Lunaria, for example. Before you saw her, would you ever have believed me if I told you unicorns were real?" Zuko shook his head. "Of course not. You'd better get comfortable, Zuko. This is going to take a while." Zuko leaned back in the chair, tucking his legs under him. A fluffy gray cat came over and hopped onto his lap. "That's Tomas. He lives in here, and helps us whenever we need to find a specific book. If you're looking for something in particular while you're here, just ask Tomas.

"There are three classes of magic user, based on how powerful they are. Wizards, Sorcerers or Sorceresses, and Witches. I'm a Wizard, as are Ty Lee and Arthur. Wizards only serve Light, and we're the most powerful of magic users. We have power given to us by The Old Ways, like all magic users. Unlike other magic users, though, we can supplement it by drawing away power from mortals who are being forced by The Old Ways down a path they don't want. There are some paths we'll interfere in automatically, like a Rapunzel or a Fair Rosamund. Most of the time, though, we don't interfere unless something's going wrong, or we're asked to interfere. We also get rid of Dark creatures like Boggarts, Water Witches, Night Mares, some Fae, trolls, ogres, vampires, Weres, that kind of thing. Dark creatures cause mayhem and bloodshed whenever they can. It's their nature. So we kill the ones we can, and Bind those we can't. Some, like malevolent ghosts, we Banish. Most ghosts, though, we either help pass on, or leave them in peace. Those ones know their ghosts, and they know how to pass on, they just have something they want to do first.

"Sorcerers and Sorceresses are the second most powerful magic users. They can't interfere with The Old Ways, although they can supplement their power. Sorcerers can get rid of Dark creatures, and aid in protecting creatures like unicorns. Well, Light and some Neutral ones do. Sorcerers have more free will than Wizards, as they can choose between Light, Neutral, and Dark. A lot of that decision is based on their personality and their upbringing. Wizards can't choose, they can only serve Light. Unless, of course, they choose to become a Katschei. Then they're Dark, and no longer human." Aang's face darkened when he talked about Katschei.

"What's a Katschei?"

"A Katschei is a type of Demon. There's a spell that will remove their heart without killing them, and encases it in diamond to protect it. They're darn near immortal as a result, and their power level increases dramatically since they're now a Demon. Usually they're born human, although some Fae have turned." Aang shoved thoughts of Katschei away. He hated Katschei. One had killed his parents in order to try and get its hands on him and his sister. "Now, what I was I talking about? Sorcerers. Sorcerers age slowly, like all magic users. Take Arthur. Arthur looks what, fifty? He's actually nine hundred and four. They're also the only magic users with gender-specific titles.

"Witches are the least powerful magic users. They can't supplement their power, or influence The Old Ways. They're by far the most common magic users, and they usually have more powerful children, especially if they're with another Witch, or a more powerful magic user. They can choose Light, Neutral, or Dark, like your sister did. Most of them do things like get ghosts to move on, banish weak poltergeists, or make charms, talismans, and potions."

"Like love potions?"

"Yeah. Or protection, luck, vengeance, stuff like that." He paused suddenly. "Good Gods, I sound like Roku when he's lecturing. I'm sorry."

"I don't mind. It's fascinating." Aang blushed.

"In that case, how about you ask me about stuff you're curious about?"

"Why does Clematis call me 'mortal'?"

"A mortal is a human with no magic, and no affinity. Magic is quite distinctive in an aura, so we would have noticed if you had any. Affinities are harder to recognize."

"So I could have an affinity without knowing it? What are affinities, anyway?"

"Yeah." 'It's not likely, although it would be nice,' he thought. "Affinities are natural connections with something. The most common ones are weapons and elements. I have an Air affinity. A Wizard Apprentice in Ireland, Toph Bei Fong, has an Earth affinity. Roku has a Fire affinity. Someone with a Weapons affinity is called a Knight Errant, until they swear to a magic user, and then they're a Warrior. Another common affinity is Foresight. Those manifest in different forms. Some forms enable people to tell when and how someone is going to die, or meet their true love, or come into money, or have their heart broken. Others are vaguer. It varies widely. There's a woman in town, Aunt Wu-" Aang broke off. "Crap muffins. I was going to take you into town so you can use Aunt Wu's phone to call your uncle. It's too late now, though. We have to walk, and it's almost dark." He looked at Zuko sheepishly. "I'll take you first thing in the morning. We can have breakfast at Sunshine's Diner."

"OK." To be honest, Zuko had completely forgotten about calling his uncle. He'd been enjoying himself listening to Aang's deep, rich voice as he talked. Tomas purring away on his lap wasn't helping matters any. There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Aang called. Clematis poked her head in.

"Dinner's ready, boys. Wash up and come downstairs."

"We'll be right there, Clematis." Everyone was waiting for them when they arrived. "Sorry if we kept you waiting. We were talking and we lost track of time." Aang slid into the seat beside Zuko.

"That's all right, Aang. What were you and Zuko discussing that was so engrossing?"

"The Old Ways." Arthur frowned slightly.

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Aang? Zuko's a mortal, and The Old Ways are supposed to be kept secret from them." Ty Lee piped up.

"It doesn't really matter, does it, sir? Zuko's going to forget everything about his time here anyway. Mortals always do." Zuko went very still. Had there been other mortals here, in spite of what Sage had said about him being special? Other mortals that Aang had fussed over and made feel special and cared for? Aang covered Zuko's hand with his, sensing his distress.

"_Most_ mortals. Not all. Most mortals don't _want_ to believe in fairy tales, or magic, or unicorns, or Fae, or anything else they see here. They don't want to accept anything unless science can prove it. They try to rationalize what they saw, what they experienced. The Old Ways just take it a step farther, and erase their memories completely." Aang's words were addressed to Ty Lee, but meant for Zuko. She pouted at the correction.

:Ty Lee Watanabe. Your specialty is Love Magic. If you can't recognize it at work at this stage in your Apprenticeship, then perhaps you aren't as far along as I thought. Maybe we need to go back a few levels in your instruction. Stop trying to drive a wedge between them. I understand your concerns, but The Old Ways wouldn't send him a Dark mortal for his Consort.:

:Sorry, sir.:

"Aang's absolutely correct, Zuko. I'm sure you'll remember your time here. Just remember that it's secret, and you can't go around telling everyone you meet." Zuko smiled slightly.

"I wasn't planning on it. People would think I was insane, or trying to get attention."

Zuko lay on his back beside Aang, staring up at the stars. "I've never so many stars." Aang smiled.

"That's because there's not that many lights out here, especially compared to the New York City area. The stars aren't overwhelmed."

"Uncle tried to teach me to identify constellations when I was younger, but I could never see enough stars." Aang pointed at the sky.

"You see those ones that look a bit like an 'M'?" Zuko nodded. "That's Cassiopeia." Aang pointed out several more constellations. "Do you see that reddish spot just above the trees? That's Mars. Other planets might rise later."

"Is that the Milky Way over there?"

"Yeah. If I had brought out the telescope I could show you some other galaxies, and maybe a nebula or two." He sat up. "Do you see those lights down there, through the trees?" Zuko sat up to see what he was pointing at. "That's Red Lodge, where we're going tomorrow." It looked a long way away.

"We're going to _walk_ there?" Aang nodded. "It's looks pretty far."

"You walked from New York to Montana a few days ago," he teased. Sobering, he said, "It's actually not as far as it looks. Really. It looks farther away than it is because it's not that big of a town, so there aren't that many lights. Plus, it's getting late, so some of the older population might already be asleep." It was still a hike of a few miles, but the trip there was mostly downhill. Aang knew a spell that would shorten the trip dramatically; the same one The Old Ways had used to bring Zuko to Montana. Of course, the woods were filled with unicorns. It wouldn't be that hard to find one or two female ones to give them a ride back home.


End file.
